Deferred driver license issue clarified

In early September of 2012, North Carolina Division of Motor Vehicles experts raised concerns that the federal Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program might not conform with North Carolina law.

On Sept. 10, 2012, out of an abundance of caution, DMV officials requested a legal opinion from the North Carolina Attorney General’s office and decided to stop issuing driver licenses to applicants under the DACA program until a legal opinion was issued.

An internal review of DMV’s records late last week, however, revealed that 13 licenses had been unintentionally issued to applicants in the DACA program before federal database updates were complete.

To maintain consistency of policy, the DMV mailed notification to these applicants on Jan. 11 letting them know their licenses were issued in error; therefore, their driving privileges have been cancelled. Once the AG’s office issues an opinion, a determination about issuing licenses to DACA applicants will be made.